


Never Enough Time

by LibbyWeasley



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: And so do I, Canon Compliant, F/M, FS family, Happily Ever After, Happy Ending, a little angst but it’s canon, because they need it, post-season 6
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-12
Updated: 2019-09-12
Packaged: 2020-10-17 01:54:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,634
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20613017
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LibbyWeasley/pseuds/LibbyWeasley
Summary: Fitz and Jemma have time to make a plan to save the team. But their choices have a cost. Post-season 6 with a happy ending.





	Never Enough Time

**Author's Note:**

> So this starts off a little sad (because...canon) but they get their happy ending (of course). Thanks to @blancasplayground for encouraging me to put an important piece of the story in the second half.

They’d had time. That part was true at least. Time to work in the lab on the jump drive. Time to make upgrades to the Zephyr. Time to be together. But it had been different knowing their time together was short. Every second felt like the clock was ticking down to zero. 

With Enoch’s help, the scientific discoveries just seemed to flow, a neverending stream of innovation. The way she and Fitz worked together was like their time at Sci-Ops or those first few heady days in the field when it felt like science was the answer and together they could solve any problem they encountered. It was still like that in some ways. Science could save them — it _had_ to — but now they knew exactly what they were giving up. If they were different people maybe they could have decided it wasn’t worth the price. 

Jemma looked at Fitz from the corner of her eye as he ran through the jump drive simulation one last time. Now that they had almost completed this final piece of the puzzle she knew that Enoch would push them to the next step in the plan. They had been lucky to stay safe and undiscovered this long. But she still wondered sometimes if it would be better to smash the jump drive into a million pieces so they’d have to start all over again. But that was selfish. This was bigger than just her and Fitz and the future they had planned together. 

Fitz turned towards her and their eyes met. 

“I know.”

That was all he said, but they both knew exactly what he meant. She could see it in his eyes. The love. The fear. The conviction that they were doing the right thing. 

“But what if…”

She let the words hang in the air. They’d had this conversation so many times since they had worked out the details with Enoch that they didn’t even need all the words anymore. 

“We won’t,” he said, pulling her into his arms and kissing the top of her head. 

This was what she was giving up. His strength and comfort. The way she felt calmer when they were together. Maybe even a chance at the future she could picture so clearly in her mind. 

Even though they should be finishing their work, she snuggled closer, memorizing the feel of his body next to hers. Just in case it was the last time they were together like this. It had been this way for months. Everything they did could be for the last time. Or at least the last time for a long while. There was no telling how long it would take for their plan to work. 

“Jemma…” Fitz’s words were soft and his breath was warm on her ear. 

“Agent Fitz? Has the jump drive been completed?” Enoch’s voice was loud and perfectly even, interrupting the cocoon of safety Jemma felt. 

Fitz released her and picked up his tablet once again. 

She could see the look on Fitz’s face, but it did nothing to deter Enoch from his line of questioning. 

“Yeah.” Fitz paused for a second, carefully checking the data. “Everything looks good. Those last upgrades made the difference.”

“Then we can proceed in the morning. I will begin preparations for moving the base.”

“Moving the base?” Jemma blurted out. “Why?”

Enoch turned to her, addressing her as if she were a child. “Because you, Jemma Simmons, can’t know the other half of the plan.” 

“But I don’t know… Oh, I can’t even know where he is.” Tears threatened, but she knew she was stronger than that. Crying didn’t help anything. Instead she blindly reached for Fitz’s hand and felt his fingers immediately capture her own. 

It wasn’t really that different. She wouldn’t be able to see him, so it didn’t matter if she knew where he was or not. She had just thought she’d be able to picture him here in the little space they’d made their own while they worked. 

“We can do this,” Fitz murmured, though she knew him well enough to detect the change in tone. He hadn’t known either. 

“I calculate we have a 32% chance of success.”

“Enoch,” Fitz grumbled, putting the tablet down and pressing his free hand to his forehead, “...we already discussed this.”

“Yes, friend?”

“With Daisy, May, Elena and the rest of the team we have a much better chance.”

“Of course. If they can be saved that will improve the odds greatly.”

“They can be saved,” Jemma said with a little more conviction than she felt. They had worked out all the details, but discussing it theoretically with Fitz was much different than being in the field. 

Her mind flashed to the first time they’d been in the field. In some ways, that, even more than accepting Coulson’s offer, was what had irrevocably changed their lives. They had met Daisy and seen their technology used when it mattered. Theoretical had become practical and they had never looked back, no matter how many things changed and how many people they lost. How many times they lost each other. 

And tomorrow they would lose each other again.

* * *

They finished straightening up the lab in silence, though he supposed it didn’t really matter. Tomorrow they’d all be gone so who cared if the equipment was carefully returned to the proper shelf or not. But it was important to Jemma, so it was important to him. She hadn’t said anything yet, but he could practically see her mind working, the way it did when she was turning over a problem, usually about to come up with a brilliant solution. That was one of the things he loved about her. The way her mind worked was something he’d never quite understand, but he’d never met anyone who could figure things out the way she could. 

Walking down the quiet corridor side by side, she hesitated a second at their door before entering and flicking on the light switch. An overly bright white light filled the room, casting shadows around the sparsely furnished room. It wasn’t like they had been able to bring anything with them. 

“Jemma…”

His words drifted off as she sank down onto the bed, looking tired and defeated. It wasn’t a look he ever wanted to see on her face. 

“Fitz, do you ever wonder if this was all a mistake?”

“Going with Enoch’s plan, you mean?” He moved closer, going to sit next to her on the bed. When she leaned into him, he wrapped an arm around her. 

“No. Well, yes. But I meant all of it. From the beginning.”

“You are going to have to be a little more clear. I’m not sure what you mean.”

Jemma pulled out of his embrace and turned to face him, pulling one leg under her. “In the mind prison…”

“I thought we agreed that we would just accept what happened. Aside from the fact that we’re perfectly matched, some of the things we said in there —“

“No, you said you could trace all of our troubles back to the day we met Coulson.”

“Oh.” His voice was quieter now. This wasn’t an argument, then. It was analysis. “I just meant that all the times we almost lost each other — all the times we almost died — wouldn’t have happened if we hadn’t gone into the field.”

“Yes, of course. But it’s happening again, right now, isn’t it?”

No matter how much he wanted to reassure her, there was no way to deny the truth of that statement. So he did the only thing he could think of and kissed her. The only point of contact between them was the gentle pressure of his lips against hers. 

When they finally parted he reached for her cheek, sliding his fingers over the soft skin. “Nothing can keep us apart. We’ve made it this far.”

She gave him an exasperated look, but a smile started to tug up the corners of her mouth. That was progress at least. 

“But, Fitz...what if we had the choice? What if we could go back to that day? Would you change your decision?”

“Oh, it’s my decision now, is it?” Their hands found each other on the bedspread between them and he tangled his fingers with hers. “Knowing what I know now? No, I wouldn’t change it.”

“But—“

“Maybe all of our trauma came from that decision, but right now all I can think about is our friends...you...and I wouldn’t trade that for anything. And that’s why we have to do this. At least this time it’s our choice. That makes a difference. Because this time we know how to find each other again.”

“Oh, Fitz.”

They sat next to each other and the silence was so complete he could hear each breath she took, relaxing into the gentle rhythm, the affirmation of her presence beside him. 

“We should probably get some rest,” he finally said, even though sleep was the furthest thing from his mind. Now that their time together could be measured in hours, each second that passed was precious and he wasn’t about to waste any of them on sleep. 

“I don’t think I’ll be able to sleep at all,” she said with a laugh. 

He wasn’t surprised at all when she pushed him back on the bed and her lips met his in a more insistent kiss than the one they had shared earlier. Their bodies moved in sync, as if they could truly become one. All their joy, pain, hopes, and fears shared. 

When pleasure finally washed over them, chasing away thoughts of the morning at least for awhile, Fitz pulled Jemma into his arms and tugged the sheets up over them. 

“I love you,” she murmured into his shoulder and he lazily stroked a hand down her back. “I wish we could do this together.”

“We _are_ doing this together...we just, ah, have to be apart to do it.”

“You do realize that’s what “not together” means right?”

He rolled his eyes and smiled. “I just mean that we’ll never really be apart. We started this together and we’ll finish it together. We promised that to each other. And we’ve promised other things as well that I’m not about to let you forget.”

The last words were quieter and he hoped she knew what he meant. Her hand held his and her fingertips found the metal band around his finger. Of course she knew what he meant. 

“Leopold James Fitz, I love you. I promise you that I’ll do everything in my power to get back to you so we can have a family and a home of our own. A real home.” She pressed a gentle kiss to his lips, which might have been slightly more romantic if they weren’t still naked. 

He reached for her hand and looked into her eyes. She already knew how he felt, he’d told her as often as he could, but if they were making new promises tonight then he would make sure she knew exactly how important their future together was. 

“Jemma Anne Simmons, we have survived the bottom of the ocean, space, time, death, a mind prison...and a grandchild.” 

She choked on a laugh and he tightened his grip around her, holding her closer. 

“Nothing is going to keep us apart. I promise you I will do everything I can to keep you safe and make sure you come back to me.”

“Fitz —“

“I can’t imagine a life without you in it. You, and our family, that’s my future.”

She pressed a kiss to his chest and then settled into the spot he had come to think of as hers. Letting their breathing sync, he felt Jemma relax against him. He knew he should rest, but Fitz was unwilling to let their last moments together be claimed by sleep. There would be plenty of time for that once they were separated. So he let his fingers lightly drift over her, tracing familiar paths. He would know her anywhere — her body, her mind, her soul. She was a part of him and her absence would leave a gaping hole that he couldn’t fill on his own. 

He was surprised, though he guessed he shouldn’t have been, to feel her answering caresses. They didn’t speak again until the alarm disturbed the peaceful sanctuary of their room, but they didn’t have to. No words could explain what he felt and what he knew she felt in return. 

This may have been their choice, but they had never really had a choice at all. And somehow the fact that they had to wait for the moment when they would be ripped apart from each other again made it infinitely worse. Whatever came next really would be the hardest thing they had ever done. 

**Six Weeks Later**

The days were busy and passed quickly, but the nights were so long without Fitz by her side. She wasn’t clingy or needy, and they had certainly been apart before, but this was different. Jemma was thoroughly disillusioned with being in the field. Back when she was a naive child she had wanted to change her world. Now all she wanted was to do science with Fitz, start their family, and have a little bit of peace. She thought they deserved that. 

Her sleepless nights made it hard to hide her feelings from the rest of the team. She felt brittle, stretched to the limit, and she knew it showed on her face. She had taken to pulling her hair back tightly into a chignon, out of efficiency more than anything else, but it fit her mood. She was focused and determined, because the sooner they finished this, the sooner they could all go home. 

She felt lonely without him, like she always had. He had been her best friend since they were barely more than children. She missed his brilliance, the way they could complete each other’s thoughts. She missed having an ally in science. She missed having him there so she could see his smile, or even his grumpiness. She missed all of his mannerisms, those things she could now see so clearly in Deke. Things that were a constant reminder of his absence. And yes, she also missed the feel of his body next to hers and the way he made her feel when they were alone together. 

The only times she felt reassured were when she could hear Fitz’s voice over the speaker. It was practically no more than a tease — enough for her to know that he was safe but not enough for her to say all the things she wanted to. And she had so much to say to him. The night before they parted had led to more than just a promise about their future. She had been able to keep it from the team so far, but eventually it would become impossible to hide. In a few of their conversations, too professional and efficient for her liking, she had given him clues.

He hadn’t reacted, but she desperately hoped he knew. 

So she kept working, kept fighting. And each night she retreated to her bunk, waiting for the next time she would hear his voice. But with each day that passed her resolve to leave this life behind grew stronger and stronger. 

**Three Months Later**

Fitz entered the coordinates for the next destination and remotely activated the jump drive before saying goodbye to Jemma. He could hear the tension in her voice and it worried him. He had promised to keep her safe and he was doing his best to keep her, and the rest of the team, one step ahead of the hunters. She had the rest of the team at least, so that was some comfort. Any one of them would sacrifice themselves to save one of the others. A thought that both reassured and terrified him. 

He had volunteered to be the one to go into the field. He could have taught her everything about the targeting system he had designed. But she had argued that the team would need her medical expertise, and he knew she was right. She was always right. That wasn’t very reassuring now. Now that she was the one who needed medical assistance. At first he thought he was just hoping that there was a hidden message in her words, but after a few weeks he was sure. That made being away from her all that much harder. He didn’t want her to go through that alone. He had always imagined it would be something they’d share. 

They had been through too much for it all to end now. So he kept working through his half of the plan, trusting her to complete the other half so they could be together again. At this point he’d do nearly anything to hold her, to touch her, to feel her lips on his and the warmth of her body. 

Once this was over he planned on convincing her to leave SHIELD. Her cottage in Perthshire had become his dream too. He could picture them there. Lazy afternoons. Days spent in a makeshift lab together. Children. Sooner than he had thought possible. His chest tightened at the thought of a little girl that looked like Jemma. She’d probably be a right pain in the arse too, likely waking up before dawn with a million questions before breakfast, but it wouldn’t matter if they were together. Maybe a little boy as well. Someone who would delight in building things and who Fitz could guide through all those important milestones. Be there in the way his father hadn’t been. 

He turned from his workspace and looked at the sofa that was currently serving as his bed. It looked decidedly unappealing. He had been on the move quite a bit over these last few months, gathering information before redirecting the Zephyr. Some of that information indicated that he wasn’t as hidden as he would have liked to believe. 

Unfortunately, this had been a relatively safe hideout, so he felt compelled to stay for a bit longer even if it wasn’t the most comfortable place for him to be. 

But soon...soon this would all be over. 

**Two Years Later**

They hadn’t made it to Perthshire after all. Saving the world — again — had taken a toll in some obvious and some not so obvious ways. Jemma dropped to the porch steps, exhausted, before looking out into the yard where Fitz was still hard at work. 

“Why don’t you take a break?” she called.

Fitz looked up, wiping a hand across his forehead. “I just want to finish planting these flowers.”

Jemma took a moment to admire her husband. He hadn’t needed to plant the garden for her this year, but she really appreciated it. It was exactly like him to do something like that. Their daughter trailed behind him, making a mess in the dirt more than actually helping, though Fitz always encouraged her explorations. 

“Emme, sweetheart. It’s time for a rest.” Luckily, the little girl enjoyed nap time and made her way to the house, her light brown curls blowing gently in the breeze. Taking in the amount of dirt caked on her clothing, Jemma decided a quick washing up was in order before the nap.

Pulling herself to her feet, she lumbered into the house with Emme.

When Emme was finally asleep after two stories and one song, Jemma went back outside with a tall glass in each hand. She found Fitz nearly to the porch, a bead of sweat sliding down his face. 

“I brought you something cool to drink.”

“Thanks, Jemma.”

“Oh, Fitz! It’s beautiful!” Jemma’s eyes drifted over the neatly planted beds surrounding the house. While her normal pattern of planting grouped the flowers and herbs by similar characteristics, the way Fitz had arranged the flowers left the garden bursting with color. “The baby is going to love it.”

“Yeah? You think so?” 

She had no idea how he could still be so uncertain at times. Stepping closer, or as close as she could get when she felt like there was a watermelon in her stomach, Jemma pressed a kiss to his cheek. “I love it, Emme loves it, and I know he will too.”

He smiled down at her and took the glass she offered, taking a long drink. Jemma watched him swallow and felt a tingle run through her body. 

“Jemma…” His voice practically rumbled with desire. 

She licked her lips. 

“Since you’ve finished the garden, why don’t we have dinner on the porch. The weather is still lovely.”

“Sure. Yeah, I just need to grab a quick shower.”

Fitz gave her a grin, the kind that had always been just for her, and she settled down on the steps again, mentally running through her checklist of things they needed to do before the baby arrived. The nursery was ready, all the tiny clothes were clean and tucked neatly into drawers, and her bag was packed… She looked out at the garden again, still amazed at all the ways Fitz showed his love. Gardening wasn’t something he enjoyed. He’d much rather be tinkering around the house. 

Their lives were complete, and their own again. Mack only called if there was something especially thorny he needed them to consult on, but their friends — more like family really — were close by, she had Fitz back by her side, they had their home together, and their family was growing. Her heart felt like it would burst. 

She really should get dinner sorted, but decided to follow Fitz upstairs instead. Maybe he needed some help in the shower. 

They had time.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! You can find me on tumblr @LibbyWeasley


End file.
